He Caught Me
by LuvLov3Love
Summary: He caught me in more ways than one.
1. Where Two Paths Cross

**Chapter One: Where Two Paths Cross**

Iris woke up to the smell of frying berries. Nights when she couldn't sleep, picking berries was what she would do. And that was exactly what happened last night.

Sitting up straight, Iris was greeted by a pair of warm, green eyes.

"Good Morning Iris." Cilan said. He put down his frying pan and went to prepare another part of their breakfast.

"I was going to ask you to pick some berries, but it seems you've already done so." he said with a chuckle. The older male pointed at the piles of berries towering over the makeshift camp site.

"I'm sorry Cilan. I picked them last night." Iris replied awkwardly.

Turning back to his pan, he asks "Why so?"

Iris suddenly tensed up. Axew sensed this and jumped out of his trainer's hair. He knew all too well that Iris picked berries only at that amount when something was wrong.

The tan, young lady was contemplating on what to say, but then she had realized she had spent more than enough time thinking and not answering.

"Oh…. It was nothing!"

Iris's answer was dissatisfying to Cilan, but as the gentleman he was, he didn't press on any further.

"Although I sense a surprising spice hidden in all your sweetness, you do not have to explain yourself to me, but you do know you can talk to me whenever you're ready." Cilan said maturely. He placed a fried Mago Berry on a plate and handed it to her.

Iris was at awe. She finally realized how mature Cilan was. If it was Ash, he would have kept on going till she popped. "_Such a kid…_"

After he had placed the remaining breakfast on the table, Cilan went to wake up Ash.

Iris felt a little ecstatic that Cilan had complimented her. She didn't know why she felt this way, but she liked it. Iris also felt a little guilty that Cilan was so very open, while she was as closed up as her Excadrill had been.

By the time she had finished her breakfast, Ash was ready for his.

"Hey, I'm going to go over there for a sec." she said. The girl was pointing at the vast forest. Their response was just a nod, and that gave Iris an O.K in her mind.

She saw some staggered tree stumps and decided to use them as stairs to the forest trees.

"Well bye!" Iris replied cheerfully. She ran at full speed towards the stumps.

Iris jumped gracefully from stump to stump, finally landing on a sturdy branch. Hopping through the forest brought back happy memories. Doing this always made her think she was free as the wind.

Iris was humming to herself, _"Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot…"_

But her train of thought stopped when she stepped on something pointy. Iris stopped to test out her foot. She brushed it off as splinter and continued her frolic.

After sometime, she felt a subtle sting in her foot. The annoying sting caused Iris to head back to camp.

"_Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot…" _

By now it was neither night nor day. She could see in the distance Ash trying to start a fire. Iris giggled when she saw him try to get Pignite to start the fire for him.

"_Such a ki-" _she couldn't finish her thought when her 'splintered' foot landed on a branch. A sharp pain started spreading throughout her body.

Iris lost her balance from the shock.

She fell.

The tree she was on was about four meters high. Iris waited for a piercing pain to hit her back and the cold forest floor to laugh at her, but it never came. Instead she fell into a warm pair of arms and hearing no mockery.

Opening her eyes, she saw herself in Cilan's care. She jumped out of his arms instantly.

"Oh my god! Cilan are yo-" Before Iris could finish her sentence, she collapsed from a spike of pain in her foot.

Cilan quickly recovered himself in time to catch the young girl again. "Iris!"

The last thing she could remember was Cilan's worried face before blacking out.

* * *

After sometime, Iris woke up to a bright light. She felt something warm on her lap as she sat up straight. Still somewhat groggy from her slumber, Iris just thought it was Axew. She brought her hand down, and started patting his head.

But instead of feeling the familiar leathery horn of her Axew, she was greeted with something soft as a feather.

A little surprised Iris looked down to see Cilan resting his head on her lap. Blushing a little bit, she debated on whether to wake him up or not. Deciding not to, Iris just stared at him with a gentle smile.

"_He looks so much more like a kid this way..." _

Iris took this opportunity to examine her setting more closely. She took note that she was in a small cabin with minimal furniture.

A while later, Ash walked in. "Iris! You're awake!" His loud outburst instantly woke up Cilan, taking the warmth from her lap.

Following Ash from the door was Pikachu and Axew holding some food. Axew dropped what was in his stubbly, hands and tackled Iris out of joy.

"What happened?" Iris asked curiously, holding a crying Axew.

A boy around Cilan's aged walked in. "We thought you could tell us."

"You've been out like a light for a couple days." added Ash.

"Do you recall anything?"

"Well, I remember hopping on the tree branches and stepping on something sharp." Iris said unsure, trying to recall the past events.

"We found a barbed wire in your foot. The Venipede in this area usually carry them around to boost their power. Although small, the poison on the wire is pretty strong. You're lucky that you didn't gain any permanent injury." concluded the boy.

Wondering what temporary injuries she had, Iris found that she had lost some feeling in the right side of her body.

Accepting the answer, Iris replied "Thank you…. Uhh-"

The man had a slight smile on his face and said "My name is Ryan."

Iris, being content with all the information she had been given, leaned back into the bed.

Having Ryan exit the room, she had realized something odd. Cilan was quiet the whole way through. Turning her head towards the connoisseur, she saw him sitting on a stool with a blank expression.

"Hey Cilan… Are you okay?" Iris asked cautiously.

Having some time pass, even Ash was starting to get worried.

"Umm… Cilan?" Ash said, nudging him on the shoulder.

Cilan finally broke, exhaling a long needed breath. Eyes closed, he murmured something inaudible.

Caught off guard by Cilan's unusual behavior, she said calmly "I'm alright Cilan. It's okay."

Everyone being almost and healthy, Ash and co. started their journey. The walk was unbearabley awkward. Deciding to have some fun, Iris opened her mouth. "So Cilan, why were you sleeping in my lap?" Her tone was light-hearted, but she was genuinely curious.

Cilan became slightly flustered at the sudden question. But as quick as the reaction was, it went away.

Iris noticed that he pretended to not hear what she had said and was about to fire another question when suddenly they reached a problem.

The gang reached a fork in the rode, and a sign reading that they both reach the same destination.

To the right was a clear path, with Spring Deerling running side by side. To the left showed a glistening forest, and the sound of faint bug Pokemon sounds radiating from the entrance.

Although Ash and Cilan wanted to take the clearer path, Iris begged both the males to take the forest path.

"But Iris, you just healed from a Venipede bite. You have a greater chance of stepping on another wire in the forest than in the other path." Cilan pleaded heartily with the tan female.

Cilan's reasoning was sound, but Iris still wanted to take the left path.

"Come on Iris! I even see some trainers up ahead." pleaded Ash.

The young boy came to realize that they would never come to an agreement, so he proposed an idea.

"What if Cilan and I go to the right, and you go towards the left? The sign says that we'll meet up at the end so no worries right?"

Iris was ready to shoot down the idea, but it actually sounded reasonable to her. "Ok Ash!" The stubborn girl headed towards the lush, forest entrance but was pulled back by a strong grip.

"I'll go with Iris." The girl in question turned around to see Cilan. Ash shrugged it off and headed towards the nearest trainer to battle.

"Why do you want to come with me?" Iris and Cilan were walking leisurely when her question popped out.

Cilan looked in every direction except hers. After some thinking, he said aloud "It's just that I don't want you to fall without me there."

His comment had caused her to blush.

"Th-thank you Cilan."

They again walked in silence. The forest seemed to never end. As they kept up their pace, Cilan felt a something light on his arm.

To his amazement, Iris had fallen asleep while walking. He chuckled to himself.

"Iris?" Cilan had given her a slight shake with no reaction. _"Ash is probably still battling trainers…."_

He sat under the nearest tree and placed Iris next to him. Cilan was utterly tired after the event of the past days. He looked over to his right to see the image of a sleeping angel.

Cilan closed his eyes in peace and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** I hoped you liked it :) If you see any errors, please point them out, _nicely_.


	2. Where The Moon Shines

**Chapter Two: Where the Moon Shines**

Cilan woke up dazed. Moonlight had been brought upon them through a small opening through the tree's foliage.

His eyes followed the light to find a purple haired girl in his lap. He couldn't help but notice how moonlight truly suited her beauty. Sudden thoughts had caused a red tint to appear on his face.

"Oh Iris…" he said aloud. His feelings weren't strong, but they were there. Cilan found himself staring at her more than usual on occasions. Today was no exception.

Cilan noted Iris' exquisite features, physically and emotionally.

Her lips were slightly parted and glistening in the light. Cilan refused the temptation. He just continued to stare at the lovely girl.

He gently propped the girl up and tried to wake her. "Iris…. Please wake up." Secretly, he wished she wouldn't wake up. Her sleeping appearance was pleasing to Cilan. He didn't have to worry if she saw him or not.

Some little coaxing later, the duo was finally out of the forest. At the exit was a small quaint cabin for travelers. Seeing that Ash was nowhere to be found outside, they decided to check the cabin.

"Hello! Anyone here?!" Iris yelled casually. The cabin consisted of two tables, a fireplace, and a set of stairs leading towards the upper level, where beds presumably presided. On the other side was a fairly small kitchen. Other than that, the cabin was completely empty.

Looking around, it could be inferred that the cabin was used occasionally for traveling trainers.

The pair checked the upper level to see Ash occupying one of the beds in the room.

"Should we wake him up?" whispered Iris. Cilan checked the time and nodded no. Signaling for her to go back down, they both took a seat by the fireplace.

Axew ran towards the fire and fell asleep comfortably.

"Aren't you tired Iris?" asked Cilan casually. She responded with a no and continued to monitor her Axew.

Again time had passed with no dialogue between the two. Iris had eventually dosed off again and fell not too softly onto the table.

Cilan chuckled and carried her bridal style up the stairs. During this mini adventure, he noticed a distasteful look on her dreaming face.

Carefully settling her in the bed, he felt a small tug on his hand. Iris, who was still dreaming, clutched onto Cilan's hand rather tightly. Her dreams were going out of control.

Unsure of what to do he sat down beside the girl. "It's all right. It's all right…" he was stroking her hair gently and soothingly. These actions lessened the grip on Cilan's hand but not enough for circulation to return.

Again, he watched her face. The moon struck again showing her angelic features but this time it was dawned with fear and uneasiness. Cilan couldn't bear anything tainting her peaceful slumber. He stayed in place for a good while, calming Iris when needed.

He suddenly remembered what calmed him the most in his childhood.

Although hesitant, he planted a light kiss on her forehead. Cilan gradually fell asleep next to the bed, hand in hand with his moonstruck angel. His feelings grew stronger as his dreams were filled with thoughts of Iris.

* * *

Morning had come. Iris woke up groggy and restless. She turned her head to see a familiar sight.

Cilan.

Their interlocking hands were quickly broken as Iris got up. Both companions were still sleeping and morning was still in its early stages.

Resting back into the bed, she heard mumbling from the male next to her.

"_Iris…"_ Perking up at the sound of her name being said she listened closely for anything Cilan might say in his dream state.

"_Iris…I….you…."_ The suspense was killing her as she brought her head closer to hear what he was saying.

She drew closer to the person sleeping on the floor but suddenly, her right arm gave out. She toppled off the bed into Cilan's lap with a loud _"oof!"_

"I-Iris!" exclaimed a surprised Cilan. The commotion was loud enough to seemingly wake up Ash.

The spectacle of seeing Iris on top of Cilan was surprising to Ash. The two flustered pair quickly scrambled off the ground and stood up straight.

As Ash was about to say something, the over exhausted trainer fell back asleep.

Cilan and Iris were both relieved at his actions and continued downstairs.

* * *

"You seem to always land on top of me it seems." Cilan said jokingly. The comment only flustered the female to the extreme.

Iris wasn't sure if to apologize to the connoisseur or berate him with a snappy remark. She stood for the latter.

"Or is it you who seems to always be below me?" The standoff contained slight static but ended with laughter.

"I'll go make something to eat." said Cilan through small tears. He and Iris headed towards the kitchen to start on breakfast.

Iris took a standing seat by the counter while Cilan worked his magic. The dragon master to-be found all of his movements very graceful and sophisticated.

It was almost like watching a ballet with the most handsome dancer. _"Wow…"_

Iris quickly caught herself in her thoughts quickly. Her thoughts as of late were very strange to her. She found herself thinking of Cilan in a new light than usual. _"No no… He could never…" _She took a quick glance at the male and reassured her thoughts.

"_Yeah. He would never…"_

"Iris! Can you get the plates from the shelf!" interrupted Cilan.

"Coming!"

The short female found the shelves to be a bit too high for her too look into. Iris stood on her tip toes and patted the shelf to find whatever plates were there.

To her surprise, the felt a sharp cut on her finger. Withdrawing quickly, she saw the crimson blood surface on top of her finger.

"Oh no, Iris!" exclaimed Cilan. He rushed to the girl's side and took her hand in his care.

"You really have to take better care of yourself, you know?"

The freshly bandage finger lay at Iris' side. Ash started coming down the stairs when the plates of food hit the table.

"Good morning everyone!" exclaimed the loud trainer. The whole crew sat down and had their breakfast in a quick manner.

They quickly cleaned up their messes and headed out to continue their journey.

* * *

**A/N: Oh. This chapter had no good development. I promise for better love building (oh dear) in the next chapter! And as always, please point out any mistakes - **_**nicely.**_


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